The final resting place of a James Jackson, who hailed from somewhere locally, was discovered at the end of October during renovation works at Washington Square Park – one of the best known of New York City’s 1,900 public parks.
According to The New York Times newspaper, the sandstone grave marker declared: “Here lies the body of James Jackson who departed this life the 22nd September 1799 aged 28 years native of the county of Kildare Ireland.”
The workers expected to find bones because the remains of as many as 20,000 people are believed to be buried there.
However, it is thought that the three foot tall headstone is the first to be found in the area, which served as a burial ground for unknown or very poor people – a potter’s field – many years before it was developed into a park known for its iconic archway and its central location within Greenwich village.
Loose bones and intact skeletons have been found there and this is not unusual because many of the dead were buried in shrouds or unmarked wooden coffins – but the headstone was unexpected.
The headstone is in excellent condition and was found only two and a half feet beneath the surface.
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The New York Historical Society believes Mr. Jackson resided at 19 East George Street; was a watchman and grocer and that he died from yellow fever, which was rampant in the city at the time.
Read the full New York Times article in the November 5, 2009 edition of the leinsterleader.ie
